Actuating means for watchmen&#39;s clocks.



E. C. HEALY.

ACTUATING MEANS FOB WATCHMENS CLOCKS,

APPLICATION man Nov.2o. 1914. nzewen MN. 4. 191s.

Patented Feb. 19, 19H3.

"NTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ELLIS C. HEALY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSGNR TO NENMAN CLOCK COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEYV YORK.

ACTUATING MEANS FOR WATC-IMENS CLOCKS.

Application led November 20, 1914, Serial No. 873,191. Renewed January 4, 1918.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, kELLIS C. Henny, a citizenof the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex andk Aa watchmans clock, and more. particularly to registers or detectors of the portable type. In systems of this character, each station is equipped with a recording` key, and the watchman carries the register or clock with him on his rounds. rit each station the key belonging thereto is applied to or inserted into the clock and, when properly actuated, makes a record on the record this record visibly `indicates the time at which the key was applied.

This invention has for its chief object to provide an improved form of connection between the key proper and the receptacle in which it is normallycontained, and particularly in the provision of means to audibly lndlcateto the watchman when the 1mpression upon the record dial has been completely eiected.

l Ot' the various embodiments of which the i .invention is capable, I have selected -for illustration and specific description herein the one which, at the present time, 1s con-- sidered to exhibit the various features of the 1 invention in their most convenient and eii'ecoperate tive form. This embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in-which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention with a part of the key broken away to show a Portion of its interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates in perspective the pivotal connection between the key and the containing receptacle.

Fig. 4c illustrates substantially the position of the parts at the moment when the plunger begins to be cammed inwardly to the impression producing means contained in the key casing.

Fig. 5 shows a modiiied form of the means Specification of Letters Patent.

tor eti'ecting an audible indication that the impression means has been actuated.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the character 1G designates a suitable receptacle located at each station to be visited and ,adapted to contain a key 11, which is pivoted at 12 to said receptacle. The receptacle is provided with a suitable closure 13, hinged or otherwise secured thereto, so as to normally concea the key from view. In Fig. 1 illustrated, in dotted lines, a portion oil a register or clock 14, provided with a suitable dial 15, upon which the desired impressions are adapted to be made'by the key whenever the latter has been inserted into the perforation in the side of the clock. Before describing the details which go to make up the invention, it may be stated that whenever the receptacle 10 is opened the key is manually or automatically turned, upon its hinge 10, to the dotted line position A. lt is now in position for the clock or register, carried by the watchman on his rounds, to be applied thereto. As soon as this is done the register is moved to the dotted line position B, but during this movement or part ot this movement, the actuating plunger 16, supported in the member 17, will be moved longitudinally with respect to the key, and in doing so will actuate the mechanism, not shown, contained in the key to produce the desired impression upon the record dial. At the moment when the impression has been made (or what amounts to the samething, when the key has been turned snliiciently far) mechanism is pr vided .vhichin conjunctionwith the plunger, audibly indicates the same. The mechanism for actuating the impression producingmeans and to audibly indicate the time at which the impression is made I will now proceed to describe.

The plunger supporting member 17 is provided with an extension 1S whichis located between the ears 19 projecting from the base support 20. The ears 19 carry the Lvivot pin 12, which passes through the extension 18, and the key proper, as stated above, is adapted to oscillate about this pivot as center. The base support 20 is preterably separate from the receptacle and adapted to be secured thereto by any suitable means. The extension 18 is provided with twolnotches 21 and Ainto which one end of the spring pressed plunger 23 is adapted to enter. lllhen this plunger 23 is entered into the notch 2l the key is maintainer in its normal position in the receptacle. rhe notch 22, which is capable also of performing the function of holding the key in its outerl position, is primarily provided to audibly indicate, by the plunger snapping into it, that the record has been properly impressed upon the paper dial in the clock. To prevent any undue strain being exerted upon the pivotal connection, l provvide a chain or other means 52st connected at one end to the receptacle and the other end to the band 25 which encircles the key casing. lVhile this audible indicating means just described operates ad-l mirably, l also illustrate another form .of such means which l have chosen to claim specifically herein. This form comprises a member QG pivoted at 27 to the receptacle whose eXtreme rearward oscillating movement is limited in this case by its contact with the base 2O and whose outward movementis limited by the projection coming into contact with the bottom of the receptacle. The relation of the parts are preferably such that the plunger 16 will always contact with the face 2S of the member 2G irrespective of the position of the latter. As a result of this construction the member will be in operative position irrespective of the position of the containing receptacle. The member is provided with a shoulder 29, over which "the plunger, actuated by the spring 30, is aoapted to pass as soon as the impression is made upon the record dial. After passing over the shoulder QS) the end of the plunger strikes against the offset surface 3l of the member 2G, thereby audibly indicating that the impression upon the dial has been made.

is illustrated in F ig. l the pivoted member 26 is novided with a stop lug 32 which abats against the back of the key casing and limits the outward swing of the lower end of said member 26, to the end that the face 2S of said member is al vays in the path of the projectingl end of the plunger 26 irres aective of the relative position of the key receptacle with respect to its support.

In Fig. 5 l show a slight modification of the means for effecting the audible indication when the impression producing means has been actuated. ln this case the surface against` which the plunger 1G strikes after leaving the surface 2S is on the base member 2O and is indicated at 31a.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the construction shown as many changes may be made in point of detail and other embodiments resorted to without necessarily deviating from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

l. A receptacle in combination with a key contained therein and provided with a inember through which a pin is adapted to pass to pivot said key to the receptacle, and co operative means on said key and receptacle for audibly indicating when the key has been oscillated sufliciently about its pivot to effect an operation.

Q. fl receptacle in combination with a key adapted to contain impression producing means and located in said receptacle, means for pivoting the key to the receptacle so that the key is adapted to oscillate into and out of the same, and means for audibly indicating when the key has been oscillated outwardly suliiciently to actuate the impression producing means comprising a plunger con nected to said impression means, and a member provided with a surface for camming the plunger inwardly with respect to said key and provided with an offset against.. which said plunger is adapted to snap.

3. A. receptacle in combination with a key pivotally located in said receptacle and adapted to contain impression producing means therein, a plunger slidable in said key, one end of which is adapted to be operatively connected to said impression producing means and the other end of which projects from the pivotal end of said key, and means secured to said receptacle adapted t0 cam said plunger inwardly as the key is oseillated outward about its pivot, said means pro` vided with an offset against which said plunger strikes to audibly indicate that the impression producing means has been actuated.

Ll. A receptacle in combination with a key pivotally secured in said receptacle and adapted to contain impression means therein, a plunger slidable in said key, one end of which is adapted to be operatively connected to said impression producing means and the other end of which. projects from the pivotal end of said key, and means secured to said receptacle and provided with a surface for camming said plunger inwardly as the key is oscillated outwardly about its pivot, and another surface offset from the first named surface and against which said plunger is adapted to strike for audibly indicating that the impression means has been actuated.

5. A receptacle in combination with a. key pivotally secured in said receptacle and adapted to contain impression producing means therein, a plunger slidable in said key, one end of which is adapted to be operatively connected to said impression produc` ing means and the other end of which pro- `iects from the pivotal end of said key, and means pivotally secured to said receptacle and provided with a surface for camming said plunger inwardly as the key is oscillated outwardly about its pivot, and another surface offset from the first named surface and against which said plunger is adapted to strike for audibiy indicating,r that the impression ineens has been actuated, said means containing' the first named surface adapted to be oscilinted forwardly about its pivot by v seid plunger to permit the key to return to normal position.

6. A receptacle in combination with e key piyotuily secured in said receptacle and adapted to be oscillated about said receptacle to operate the same, said key provided with curved extension in which is contained :i notch, und a spring-pressed plunger adapted to engage said notch to hold the key in normal position.

In testimony whereof I a'HiX my signature 15 Copies o! this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

